How to Legally Eliminate Credit Card Debt You Cannot Afford to Pay

Here is an experienced attorney explaining why some threats made by debt collectors are considered illegal under the FDCPA.

Typically people cannot eliminate credit card debt they cannot afford to pay because they feel hopeless and guilty.

These feeling cause them to make bad decisions about possible debt solutions. The best time to develop a plan to eliminate that credit card debt you cannot afford to pay is before, or at least when, you miss your first monthly payment.

Don’t fall for the siren song pitches of debt settlement or debt management companies because you think some form of slow payment is the only solution. You cannot afford that, if you cannot afford to pay your credit cards. Selectively not paying your credit cards, so you can pay for basic monthly expenses like rent or mortgage, food, utilities, healthcare, etc., IS a solution. I made it work for me (You can read my story here.).
Despite your fears that there may be, there is no special place in hell for a person who owes credit card debt they cannot afford to pay.
Yes, there is a lot of uncertainty. There are no guarantees. Some states make it more difficult for debt collectors than others. But, generally the courts are fed up with collection attorneys tying up their dockets with cases not supported by proper documentation. The banks have difficulty supplying proper documentation of your past due credit card debt. (Read my previous blog.) Senior citizens can be easy prey for debt collector lies about credit card debt summonses (not) in the mail.

Do not allow yourself to be intimidated by debt collector lies and threats over the telephone. Your plan should be to learn how to properly respond to debt collectors and collection attorneys in writing using the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) guidelines. (I have developed a carefully researched deny-dispute-demand-documentation letter.)

Remember, the first six months after non-payment, the bank will contact you with increasing urgency. At six months delinquency your credit card will become a loss for the bank. So, as that date approaches, they may make you a generous settlement offer. But, the chances are you will not be able to afford any lump sum payment.

Debt collectors and collection attorneys work on commission. If you use the proper legal language with them, they will move on to pursue other less sophisticated consumers to earn their monthly quota. Phone calls mean nothing. Letters sent CMRRR mean everything. If you hear from other debt collectors about the same debt, it means you are succeeding, not failing. Nobody wants to waste their time with you because you know ho to resist them.